


Cross-Checked

by gorgeouslyunderrated



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Eventual Romance, Lacrosse, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-10
Updated: 2017-11-09
Packaged: 2019-01-31 09:05:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,526
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12678759
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gorgeouslyunderrated/pseuds/gorgeouslyunderrated
Summary: Hinata Shouyou has always wanted to play lacrosse ever since he saw the Little Giant on TV. When he finally gets his chance to play for the same team as the Little Giant, Karasuno, a certain unpleasant midfielder, Kageyama Tobio, seems to make things difficult, at first. As Hinata plays with the team, not only does he grow as a player, he also grows closer to Kageyama in ways that truly terrify him.





	Cross-Checked

Hinata Shouyou stood in front of the television, his mouth agape and brown eyes wide as he watched the players move across the screen. And then it happened. Number ten wound up, throwing his stick behind his body and using his movement to sling the ball towards the net. It rocketed in and the officials signaled for a goal. Hinata pressed his nose to the screen, trying to get a better look at the player. He was amazing. 

  


“Well he certainly lives up to his name doesn’t he,” one announcer reported. 

  


“Of course,” agreed the other. “The Little Giant is known for his small stature but incredibly large and forceful shots. And just look at the air he gets when he jumps for the shots. It truly is incredible.” 

  


Hinata was mesmerized. Lacrosse was so…cool! The Little Giant was playing for Karasuno, a lacrosse powerhouse, in the national finals. Hinata stepped back from the screen and began to mimic his movements, using an imaginary stick to sling the ball towards his little sister, who was sleeping soundly on the couch. 

  


Karasuno may have lost the game the day, but Hinata was still truly inspired. If someone small, like himself, could propel a ball at high speeds into the back of a net while being beaten by boys surely over six feet tall, then gosh darn it, Hinata knew he could do it too. 

  


And so the training began. Hinata saved his allowance for months so he could get his stick. Sure it may have been the cheapest thing the sports store sold, but Hinata treated it like it was gold. He would go to his back yard every day and throw the ball against the side of his house in hopes that he would catch it. Sometimes he was successful. Other times ended with a broken window and a month’s allowance confiscated. 

  


When Hinata got to middle school, his mother was more that relieved that her son could throw in the gym and not on the side of her house. However, Hinata was more than disappointed. He didn’t want to just throw against a wall anymore, he wanted to actually play against people. His stick skills had become phenomenal from years of practicing every day, but he had never actually played against a real person. No amount of begging his friends to start a team with him ever actually persuaded them. They all were on different teams, not so infatuated with such an uncommon sport. But Hinata is persistent, always has been, and so sometimes he managed to get them to throw with him. 

  


Hinata would never forget the day when his friends all chipped in and got Hinata a goal for his backyard. It was his birthday and while the goal didn’t have a net and was constructed from PVC pipe, the best a couple of middle schoolers could do really, Hinata was happy. Incredibly happy. So happy, he was crying, although he would detest the fact the next day. And so Hinata spent his afternoons attempting to shoot and giving his mother a heart attack every time the ball went near the window. 

  


It’s the end of middle school and Hinata had managed to put together a team for a small, end of the year seven versus seven tournament. Hinata was exhilarated. It was the first time he would be able to play against people in a real game. Sure it wouldn’t be the full eleven versus eleven, but it was close enough. 

  


However, with Hinata’s exhilaration comes his nerves. And with his nerves comes, well, vomit. 

  


“Guys I’m gonna go throw up. Warm up without me,” Hinata said, staggering towards some bushes on the edge of the sideline. 

  


As he began to hurl, he could hear “Gross,” coming from his friends behind him. As Hinata stood up, he looked over at the other team’s bench. They were a huge team, enough to run several lines, and they all had top gear and matching helmets. Hinata knew the team, Kitagawa Daiichi, was a lacrosse powerhouse as far as middle schools go. All of their players go to top high schools for lacrosse. 

  


Hinata noticed one player, number nine, stood out from the rest. He looked at Hinata and glared. Hinata looked around until he realized that he was glaring at him. He was officially offended. Hinata, in a stroke of genius, stuck his tongue out at the player. He could just see his face contort with anger. 

  


“Kageyama!” The other coach called. 

  


Kageyama gave one last glare before pulling down his helmet and stalking away. Now, Hinata was fired up. He warmed up with his friends and when the time came, lined up with them. Hinata stood prepared for the draw, trying to pretend like this wasn’t his first time ever taking one and that Kageyama wasn’t glaring down at him. 

  


“What is a shrimp like you doing here?” Kageyama snarled. 

  


“Excuse me, but I’m here to win, your majesty,” Hinata said, adding the last part in a mocking tone. 

  


Kageyama got visibly more irritated. Hinata could see Kageyama’s teammates roll their eyes and muttering things like, “here we go again.” The official placed the ball on the ground and Hinata and Kageyama both knelt. At the sound of the whistle, Kageyama collapsed on the ball, scooped it up and ran down the field. Hinata was booking it after him, catching him before he reached the ball. Hinata pushed his stick into Kageyama’s side, trying to stop his momentum. All that happened was Kageyama slinging the ball at a teammate who barely managed to catch it. Once he had it, it was all to easy for him to score. 

  


“Come on guys, we got this!” Hinata cheered, and his friends smiled up at him. 

  


The game went on in a similar fashion. Never once did Hinata win a draw. It was only when Kageyama blasted a particularly uncatchable pass did they get a break. Yukitaka Izumi managed to get the ground ball fairly easy, and since he had a short stick began running down the field. Hinata immediately broke out at a full sprint, out running any defense that tried to stick to him. Yukitaka tried to throw a long pass down the field to Hinata, but the ball slipped in his stick and went flying to the far left of Hinata. 

  


_I have to get this,_ Hinata thought, and he changed direction. The ball was high in the air, so Hinata jumped with all he had. He caught the ball mid-air and turned towards the goal. With only one defender, Hinata landed and fired with all he had. The goalie stepped, but it seemed to be too late. Hinata landed, thinking he had done it, thinking he had finally scored. Unfortunately, the ball lay right before the line, stuck between the goalie’s leg and the lower pipe. With that the whistle blew, signaling the end of the game. 

  


Hinata felt himself drop. He couldn’t even score one goal the entire game. 

  


“Hinata! That was amazing!” Yukitaka yelled, running up to Hinata and hitting him on his helmet. 

  


“I didn’t score,” Hinata replied numbly. 

  


“Who cares? That was just unlucky! If we had been able to get the ball to you more, you definitely would have scored.” 

  


Hinata smiled at all his friends who stood around him. 

  


“Alright lets go line up,” Hinata said. 

  


They lined up and shook hands. As Hinata was taking his pads off, he felt someone behind him. He turned around, expecting it to be one of his friends, only to find it was Kageyama. 

  


“What is wrong with you?” Kageyama asked. 

  


“What are you talking about?” Hinata replied, offended. 

  


“We crushed you. Why did you keep fighting. Even with that goal you were never going to win.” 

  


“The game wasn’t over. Every second on the field is precious, and next time, I’m going to beat you for sure!” 

  


Hinata felt tears well up in his eyes. Kageyama just scoffed and turned away. Hinata let the tears roll down his face. He wasn’t going to lose again. 

  


After that Hinata joined the girls team. Sure he couldn’t sling the ball like he wanted to, but he got to practice and the small pocket really helped his stick skills. He trained harder than ever, determined to go to Karasuno like the Little Giant and be just like him. 

  


Alas, it was Hinata’s first day at Karasuno. He raced through the school with his club registration form and lacrosse gear, heading out to the fields where he could find the team. As he ran up, he saw a figure practicing shots on the net. It was probably a member. However, as Hinata got closer, he began to recognize who it was. 

  


“What are you doing here?!” Hinata screamed as he ran up. 

  


Kageyama stopped mid-shot to look at the fiery red head. 

  


“Signing up for the lacrosse team. The better question is what are you doing here?” 

  


“Signing up for the lacrosse team,” Hinata replied, still in shock that, indeed, he and Kageyama were going to be on the same team. 


End file.
